CHAPTER VII

prisedhimashesatthere.Theseshort,butclearlymarked,periodsofseparationbetweenthesexeswerealwaysusedforanintimatepostscripttowhathadbeensaidatdinner,thesenseofbeingwomentogethercomingoutmoststronglywhenthemalesexwas,asifbysomereligiousrite,secludedfromthefemale.Katharineknewbyheartthesortofmoodthatpossessedherasshewalkedupstairstothedrawing-room,hermother’sarminhersandshecouldanticipatethepleasurewithwhich,whenshehadturnedonthelights,theybothregardedthedrawing-room,freshsweptandsetinorderforthelastsectionoftheday,withtheredparrotsswingingonthechintzcurtains,andthearm-chairswarmingintheblaze.Mrs.Hilberystoodoverthefire,withonefootonthefender,andherskirtsslightlyraised. “Oh,Katharine,”sheexclaimed,“howyou’vemademethinkofMammaandtheolddaysinRussellSquare!Icanseethechandeliers,andthegreensilkofthepiano,andMammasittinginhercashmereshawlbythewindow,singingtillthelittleragamuffinboysoutsidestoppedtolisten.Papasentmeinwithabunchofvioletswhilehewaitedroundthecorner.Itmusthavebeenasummerevening.Thatwasbeforethingswerehopeless....” Asshespokeanexpressionofregret,whichmusthavecomefrequentlytocausethelineswhichnowgrewdeeproundthelipsandeyes,settledonherface.Thepoet’smarriagehadnotbeenahappyone.Hehadlefthiswife,andaftersomeyearsofaratherrecklessexistence,shehaddied,beforehertime.Thisdisasterhadledtogreatirregularitiesofeducation,and,indeed,Mrs.Hilberymightbesaidtohaveescapededucationaltogether.Butshehadbeenherfather’scompanionattheseasonwhenhewrotethefinestofhispoems.Shehadsatonhiskneeintavernsandotherhauntsofdrunkenpoets,anditwasforhersake,sopeoplesaid,thathehadcuredhimselfofhisdissipation,andbecometheirreproachableliterarycharacterthattheworldknows,whoseinspirationhaddesertedhim.AsMrs.Hilberygrewoldshethoughtmoreandmoreofthepast,andthisancientdisasterseemedattimesalmosttopreyuponhermind,asifshecouldnotpassoutoflifeherselfwithoutlayingtheghostofherparent’ssorrowtorest. Katharinewishedtocomforthermother,butitwasdifficulttodothissatisfactorilywhenthefactsthemselvesweresomuchofalegend.ThehouseinRussellSquare,forexample,withitsnoblerooms,andthemagnolia-treeinthegarden,andthesweet-voicedpiano,andthesoundoffeetcomingdownthecorridors,andotherpropertiesofsizeandromance—hadtheyanyexistence?YetwhyshouldMrs.Alardyceliveallaloneinthisgiganticmansion,and,ifshedidnotlivealone,withwhomdidshelive?Foritsownsake,Katharineratherlikedthistragicstory,andwouldhavebeengladtohearthedetailsofit,andtohavebeenabletodiscussthemfrankly.Butthisitbecamelessandlesspossibletodo,forthoughMrs.Hilberywasconstantlyrevertingtothestory,itwasalwaysi